Syria Crackdown Sparks Defiance

For the fourth day in a row, Syrian government forces bombarded the city of Homs with artillery fire.

Opposition activists say up to 300 people have been killed there since the government assault began.

The United Nations’ failure to act on Syria seems to have emboldened the regime of President Bashar Assad.

But the increasing violence is also emboldening activists, and young men and women across Syria are being radicalized by the government attacks.

Activist Emad Mahou of Zabadani says he’s mourning the loss of a friend, a fellow university student who was executed two days ago by Syrian military forces.

Mahou says his friend was working in a small hospital in the city of Saqba, outside of Damascus.

“ The government attacked this place and he can’t manage to go out,” Mahou tells host Marco Werman. “ He surrendered … he raised his hands … and they killed him and take his body.”

Mahou says he’ll risk arrest to visit his friend’s parents and offer condolences.

“I lost my friend two days ago. What else I can lose? I will lose my life. It does not matter,” he says. “ We are not afraid anymore. I don’t care. I lost everything. I don’t have anything to fear anymore. “